Dwight Howard Signed by Wizards (updated Dwightmare thread)

[Beat LA]

Pretty drastic shift in the landscape of the East.

Are the Nets now on Kawhi's radar?  And if so, can we somehow upgrade to Joe Harris?

Something like Brown + 27 + salary for Harris?

Lol, TP . No way that Brooklyn accepts that trade without the addition of Rozier, though .

[tazzmaniac]

Funny how the world works. Remember when D12 to the Nets was big news?

Yeah. Back before the era of small-ball and 3-point longball shooting existed.

Dwight was great in the 4 out one in system that SVG ran. He'd have been great in the current style of play as well.

He was undone by his back injury that sapped his athleticism. He's not close to what he was back then. Back then he was a quicker Gobert who was a terror on offense to handle.

You live with all the childish BS when he was all-nba and/or MVP level, now you don't bother.

Yeah, Prime Dwight as I remember him had the ability to do what many of the low-skill physically-dominant centers of today struggle to do -- punish mismatches inside.  Dwight didn't have many moves at all down low but he was so strong it didn't matter, he could back down and take one step to the baseline, turn, and dunk over most smaller players.

Compare that to guys like Deandre, Gobert, Capela, Drummond etc who struggle to score efficiently around the basket unless they've got a clear lane rolling to the rim or are finishing an alley-oop.

There's certainly still room in the modern game for a big man that grabs 25% of available rebounds, finishes over 65% within 5 feet of the basket, and can easily go for 25-30 on 70% shooting if the opponent fails to put a pure big man with some size on him in the low post.

Problem is that it's a pretty high bar to clear.  Most rim running 5s in today's game are more in the Tyson Chandler mold, i.e. not much of a back to the basket game, struggle to shoot over 50% on post-ups even against much smaller players.

Plus of course, the big men with superstar talent coming into the league now aren't working on their back down game, they're trying to develop guard skills and a faceup game while they're still in college so they can hit outside shots and attack closeouts a la Anthony Davis or Karl Towns.  It makes sense to develop those skills.

But I'm kind of hoping that we see a 7 foot, 280 pound physical freak enter the league who can absolutely kill defenders inside.  And I don't mean one who likes to rely on fade-aways and step-backs like Joel Embiid.  I mean a guy who does what Dwight used to do, i.e. catch, turn and dunk within 3-4 seconds if the guy defending him wasn't an absolute tree.

Yeah Embid could be unstoppable down low. I don't know why he is obsessed with shooting 3's. i mean i think it is great he can have the threat, but he seems to want to camp out there.

Embiid isn't obsessed with shooting 3s.  He shot 3.4 threes out of 16.8 attempts and that doesn't include the shot attempts where he drew fouls (7.4 FTAs).   On a per minutes basis he shot fewer threes last season (3.4 in 30.3 min) last season than he did the prior season (3.2 threes in 25.4 min). 

I do think Embiid settles for jumpers and has a higher turnover rate when he gets tired.  He's having to carry too much of a load.  His usage rate 33.9% during the regular season (players with 40+ games played) was 2nd in the league behind Harden and just ahead of Westbrook.  Embiid has to create too much himself.  The Sixers were towards the bottom of the league in P&R attempts.   

[Birdman]

Just read on Yahoo that the Charlotte players did not likechim and were sick and tired of his act...shocking!!! Everywhere he went we heard this..he must be a royal pain in the rear!!

[rondofan1255]

https://twitter.com/chrisbhaynes/status/1009859962569482240?s=21

Dwight Howard and Brooklyn will negotiate a buyout to enter free-agency, league sources tell ESPN.

[jpotter33]

https://twitter.com/chrisbhaynes/status/1009859962569482240?s=21

Dwight Howard and Brooklyn will negotiate a buyout to enter free-agency, league sources tell ESPN.

Uh, call me crazy, but I’d take a vet minimum or smaller deal flyer on Howard, especially if we lose Baynes in free agency.

[CelticSooner]

Looks like Dwightmare will be bought out. The question is which team will be foolish enough to pick up this locker room cancer next?

[rondofan1255]

https://twitter.com/chrisbhaynes/status/1009859962569482240?s=21

Dwight Howard and Brooklyn will negotiate a buyout to enter free-agency, league sources tell ESPN.

 

[CelticsElite]

If he wants to ring chase, we can give him the full MLE and he can fill the Baynes role

It’s time. I want to see this guy in green

[celticinorlando]

God no. He is a team killer.

[manl_lui]

If he wants to ring chase, we can give him the full MLE and he can fill the Baynes role

It’s time. I want to see this guy in green

I'm down, as is, this team is capable to reaching finals, with Dwight needs to understand, on this team he isn't even the first 4 option, if he mess up, he's getting his butt shipped out of town

[fairweatherfan]

No thanks. Gonna be funny watching the meltdowns when he goes to the Warriors though.

[pearljammer10]

I don't even get how this is being brought up as a possibility right now. Dude has been shipped to four teams in four years. It is repeatedly said that everyone inside his locker rooms dislike him. He's a great talent don't get me wrong, but he's such a head case with his whining and his demands...We don't need that here.

[Monkhouse]

I know you guys don't like him, but he's certainly a huge upgrade over Baynes... I also know Horford has had issues with him in the past, but Howard/Horford would be an awesome team. He may kill our spacing, but you cannot discredit that he's still an excellent player.

[jpotter33]

Depends on the Baynes situation. If Baynes ends up going elsewhere, then I’d dedinitely take a flyer on him for a cheaper contract. Otherwise, I’m not sure that we’d want him having Horford, Baynes, and Theis all available; him not getting playing time would be no bueno.

[MJohnnyboy]

On paper, it would make a lot of sense. I think Dwight would be an excellent fit next to Horford because he would gobble up the rebounds that Horford can't get and he's great in the pick and roll. But that's precisely the risk.

Howard still thinks he should be the man, which means he won't want to run pick and roll and probably means he won't want an even lesser role in Boston. I don't see the Celtics starting him if they were to pick him up, which would probably p--- him off more than anything.

Howard would be a great second big to have right now, but he's a massive gamble.

We also have to factor his history with Al.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsoNy8fiOAs